Logic control apparatus

ABSTRACT

A SYSTEM WHEREIN THE NUMBER OF RECORD SHEETS ENTERING THE TRANSPORT PATH OF A REPRODUCING APPARATUS ARE MONITORED ALONG WITH THE NUMBER OF COPIES EGRESSING FROM THE TRANSPORT PATH. THESE RESPECTIVE NUMBERS ARE COMPARED WITH THE NUMBER OF COPIES DESIRED AND THIS COMPARISON IS UTILIZED TO PROVIDE A NET COUNT IN A COUNTER TO INDICATE THE NUMBER OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS FROM WHICH THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF COPIES HAVE BEEN MADE, COMPLETED, AND DELIVERED TO A SORTING AREA.

United States Patent Inventors Thomas H. Glaster;

Thomas W. Hess, Rochester, N.Y.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee 595,388 Nov. 18, 1966 June 28, 1971Rochester, N.Y.

Xerox Corporation LOGIC CONTROL APPARATUS 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Fip.

US. Cl

lot, Cl.

I 13,sss,472

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,181,420 5/1965 Rautbord etal. 355/14 3,301,126 1/1967 Osborne et al.... 88/24 3,158,836 1 1/1964McCauley 340/51 3,168,644 2/ 1965 Richardson et a1. 235/92 PrimaryExaminer-Maynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Joseph M. Thesz, Jr.

Attorneys-James J. Ralabate, Norman E. Schrader and Ronald Zibelii 28 RE c ogp 44 0 sonren SUPPLY APPARA- em 32- -34 3g TUS '1 JAM oersc'ron-36 a 4 4 m i ne cono sneer COPY coum'ea TRANSFER couurza 1 commence -56OO1NC1DENCE oerzcroa os'rec'roa 1 6'0 REVERSIBLE coumsn ORIGlNN. 2ADVANCE 4a ORIGINAL -70 H BACK-UP BID -68 DISPLAY COPY -/s ueuomr [54 5aole I4 JAM RESTART KEYBOARD -/2 PATENTfinJuuzslsn I 3588.472

SHEET 2 BF 3 10 CONTROL PANEL KEYBOARD m 24 r! JAM -32 MOTOR SENSOR DCONTROL LOGIC 3 u LOGIC 16 la COPY V SORT r SORTER MEMORY MEMORY CONTROLDISPLAY INVENTORS Y Hm wa A TTGQNEY PATENTEU JUN28|57| 3588.472

SHEET 3 OF 3 M28 RECORD 44 SHEET k i 'j SUPPLY PPARA BIN 32- Mw r-34 38TUS H JAM DETECTOR M36 4 a 54 s RECORD SHEET COPY COUNTER TRANSFERCOUNTER I v COINCIDENCE -56 COINCIDENCE DETECTOR DETECTOR REVERSIBLECOUNTER ORIGINAL 2 ADVANCE 4a DISPLAY COPY M6 MEMORY .4 JAM RESTARTKEYBOARD -42 F /6 3 "WWEfiER H8M w. H ss "M MM...

A TTORNEV LOGIC CONTROL APPARATUS This invention relates to copyingapparatus and, more particularly, to improved xerographic reproducingapparatus for fanfold computer form type documents.

Since the disclosure of the basic xerographic concept in U.S. Pat. Nos.2,297,691 to Carlson issued Oct. 6, 1942, and 2,354,809 issued Sept. 12,I944, a variety of copying machines embodying Carlson's teachings havebeen commercially marketed. Essentially, the steps in xerographicallyreproducing a document in accordance with Carlson's teaching involves l)the creation of an electrostatic image on a photoreceptor, (2)development of the image in which toner particles are attracted to andheld over the latent imagewise configuration by electrostaticattraction, (3) transfer of the developed image to a record sheet, and(4) fixing the transferred image to the sheet.

Depending upon the size and complexity of the xerographic machine andits operating speed, a number of record sheets may be in the transportpath which includes the sheet feeding apparatus for delivering therecord sheet from the input stack or paper supply through the transferfixing stages to the output station. Particularly when a number ofcopies are to be made to each document original and the new copies areto be sorted and assembled or collated into orderly groups of originallike documents, it is necessary thatno record sheets be lost in thecopying operation and that the same number of copies be made of eachdocument original. As is known, due to variations in record media, forexample, the stacking and orientation of paper in the paper supply binand malfunctions in the paper feed or sheet feed apparatus, it ispossible for jams to periodically occur in the operation of the copyingapparatus.

In prior art machines when a jam occurred, the operator stopped themachine, removed the damaged sheets in the transport path, collectingthe good sheets. These good sheets were then sorted by hand. The copyingprocess was then continued. Particularly where each reproduction of theset of originals must be'accurate it is undesirable to have the operatormanually distribute the good copies in the transport path during amalfunction. Further, where the reproducing apparatus is high speed, itis undesirable to have the operator hold up and delay the high speedoperation while performing a manual operation. Further during the slowmanual operator sorting, errors may occur in which a document is eithernot fused or improperly reproduced thereby resulting in a faulty copy ina particular group of the reproduced documents.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve copyingmethods and reproducing apparatus.

It is another object of the present invention to improve reproducingapparatus wherein copy distribution errors resulting from record sheetfeeding malfunctions are reduced.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelcontrol circuit which adds accuracy, reliability, and ease of operationto reproducing apparatus.

These and other objects which may become apparent are accomplished inaccordance with the principles of the present invention wherein thenumber of record sheets entering the transport path of a reproducingapparatus are monitored along with the number of copies egressing fromthe transport path. These respective numbers are compared with thenumber of copies desired and this comparison is utilized to step up orstep down a reversible counter means to indicate the number of originaldocuments from which the requisite number of copies have been made,completed, and delivered to a sorting area.

For a better understanding of the present invention, as well as otherobjects and features thereof, reference may be made to the followingdescription of the invention to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a reproducing apparatus in which the present inventionmay be incorporated;

FIG. 2 represents a partial block diagram of the overall control modulewhich may be utilized in the reproducing apparatus as shown in FIG. I;and

FIG. 3 represents a block diagram of the control and indicating circuitin accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, a reproducing apparatus isillustrated and generally designated by the reference numeral 2. Fromleft to right, as illustrated, the reproducing apparatus includes asorter apparatus 4, a control module 6, and an exposure and developmentmodule 8.

Generally, the operation of the reproducing apparatus 2 of FIG. 1 is asfollows. Original documents which may be in a fanfold form aresprocket-fed from an original document bin (not shown) across anexposure platen in the exposure and development module 8. As theoriginal documents egress from the exposure and development module 8,they may be collected in a collecting bin (not shown). Simultaneouslywith the feeding of original documents ina direction from left to right,as seen in FIG. 1, record sheets are supplied from a suitably positionedrecord sheet supply bin (not shown) to the exposure and developmentmodule to accept transfer of toner images corresponding to the originaldocument desired to be copied. These transferred toner images are thenfused and fixed.

The exposure and development module 8 may be of any suitable design.

The control module will be referred to in more detail in regard to FIG.2.

The sorter apparatus 4 may include mechanical copy deflectors utilizedto orderly distribute the copies as they come from the exposure anddevelopment module and to arrange these copies in sets in the samesequence as the original documents were exposed.

It is understood that the apparatus of FIG. 1 has been referred togenerally in order to provide the environment in which the presentinvention may be found useful. The particular modules indicated ascomprising the reproducing apparatus 2 of FIG. I do not in themselvesconstitute part of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is seen a block diagram generally of theoverall control circuits of the control module 6 referred to hereinabovein connection with FIG. 1. A control panel 10 includes a keyboard 12 forpurposes of manual entry into the control module to provide thenecessary information to the various control circuits. For example, thedesired numbers of copies to be made and sorted are encoded from theiroriginal decimal form into binary information by a conventionaldecimal-to-binary encoder (D/B) 14. After this encoding process, theinformation entered via the keyboard is placed either in a copy memory16 or a sort memory 18. The numbers entered via the keyboard into thecopy and sort memories may be different depending upon the amount ofsorted copies desired. There may be an occasion in which a certainnumber of copies are desired to be sorted in a particular sequenceaccording to the sequence of originals and a certain number of randomcopies which would be used for other purposes. The contents of thesememories may be displayed by a suitable display means generallydesignated by the reference numeral 20. In this manner, the keyboardoperator will always know the amount of copies and the amount of sortedcopies which were selected initially. The contents of the copy memory 16is further utilized in a jam sensor logic circuit 22 which receivesother informational data from the control panel.

As will be further explained hereinafter, particular information in thejam sensor logic is desirable to be displayed for the furtherutilization by the operator.

Motor control logic circuitry generally designated by the referencenumeral 24 is also shown in FIG. 2 as deriving information from thekeyboard and control panel. These circuits which form no part of thepresent invention may be utilized to initiate motive forces within theexposure and development module 8, the sorter apparatus 4, and variousother feeding mechanisms in the reproducing apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 1.

The sorter control circuit generally designated by the reference numeral26 also receives the number stored in the sort memory to control thesorting operation.

Reference will now be made in more detail to the circuit in FIG. 3 whichrepresents a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Inconnection with the above discussion of the reproducing apparatus 2 ofFIG. 1, it was stated that record sheets are fed into the exposure anddevelopment module 8 and then proceed in the form of copies to a sorterapparatus 4. This portion of the reproducing apparatus is shownsymbolically in FIG. 3 where the record sheet supply bin 28 and thesorter apparatus 4 are illustrated in block form and intermediatetherewith is a broken line 30 used to generally designate the transportpath taken by a record sheet and as itproceeds from its supply bin 28 tothe sorter apparatus 4. For purposes of the above discussion and thediscussion which follows, the term "copy" used as a noun will refer to acompleted facsimile of an original document which will be found in thereproducing apparatus of FIG. 1 immediately prior to entry into thesorter apparatus. The copy has on its surface a fused and fixed tonerimage of an original document and is suitable for handling by personneland further utilization. All other record sheets along the transportpath, as illustrated in FIG. 3, will be referred to simply as recordsheets. It is understood that these sheets may be simply ordinary sheetsof paper, or they may have transferred toner fingers may take the formof a light source and photocell, a

microswitch, or any other appropriate sheet detecting device. Themechanical finger 32 is utilized to detect each record sheet as itenters the transport path 30. The next three mechanical fingers 34, forexample, in successive sequence along the transport path toward thesorter apparatus 4 are utilized to provide three inputs in the form ofelectrical signals to a jam detector circuit, generally designated bythe reference numeral 36. Intermediate the rollers 38 and the sorterapparatus 4 there is positioned another mechanical finger 40 whichdetects copies as they egress from the transport path 30 for furthermanipulation by the sorter apparatus 4.

Referring to the jam detector circuit 36, another input to this circuitis derived in FIG. 3 from a terminal 42. To this terminal 42 there maybe applied pulses, each pulse indicative of a sheet being supplied fromthe record sheet bin 28 to the transport path via, for example, rollers44. Such pulses could be generated by suitable sensing means positionedimmediately prior to entry into the transport path. The jarn detectorcircuit 36 may comprise as many conventional AND gates as there aresensors 34 for detecting coincidence between the actuation of aparticular sensor 34 and the expiration of a predetermined timeinterval. For example, a timer either of conventional electronic ormechanical design may be as sociated with a sensor or finger 34 so as tobe actuated thereby when the latter detects a record sheet at aparticular location in the transport path 30. Preferably, these timersare designed as a function of the speed of the record sheets along thetransport path and the distance between the mechanical fingers 34. Inthis manner, a first record sheet initiates a pulse at terminal 42 whichpulse will, for example, actuate a relay to begin a timer. As the timercompletes its'specified period of time, a pulse is generated therebywhich should substantially coincide in time with a similar pulsegenerated by the aforementioned first record sheet actuating thefirstmechanical finger 34. If this coincidence is not present, then a jamcondition is sensed by the jam detector 36 since this first record sheetdid not proceed normally along the transport path.

In the case of more than one finger 34, the actuation of the firstfinger can further be utilized to begin a second timer and thiscycle ofoperation can be repeated for each mechanical finger 34.

As may be apparent to one skilled in the art, a particular timetolerance may be provided in the aforementioned timers to insure that afalse jam detection signal is not generated because of a very minimumdelay in a record sheet moving along the transport path. In this manner,exact and precise timing is not a prerequisite for accurate jamdetection. Because of the machine timing, the speed of the transportpath and the selected positions of the mechanical fingers along thispath, the above described technique for detecting some type of recordsheet feeding malfunction or abnormal condition is very effective.

However, this jam detecting technique is not significant in itself andforms no part of the present invention per se. Consequently, there maybe other jam detecting techniques readily adaptable to the controlcircuit of the present invention.

It is sufficient to state that the jam detecting circuit will detect afailure of the record sheets to proceed orderly along the transport pathbetween the record sheet supply bin 28 and the sorter apparatus 4. If amalfunction in this process occurs, the jam detecting circuit willdetect the same and generate an electrical signal at its output which,as shown in FIG. 3, is supplied as one input to AND gates 48 and 50.

The first mechanical finger 32 which detects a record sheet as it entersthe transport path supplies a pulse to a record sheet counter 52 whichmay be of any conventional design. The mechanical finger 40, whichdetects each copy as it egresses from the transport path and into thesorter apparatus 4, provides a pulse for each copy detected to a copycounter 54 which may be of similar design as the record sheet counter52. The contents of the record sheet counter 52 and the copy counter 54are monitored by conventional coincidence detectors 56 and 58,respectively. These coincidence detectors 56 and 58 monitor the numberpresent in the record sheet counter 52 and the copy counter 54 inrelation to a number stored in the copy memory 16 which may be aconventional binary register. The input to this copy memory 16 isdirectly from the aforementioned keyboard 12 which is found in thecontrol panel 10 in the control module 6 of the reproducing apparatus ofFIG. 1.

As the coincidence detector 56 detects a coincidence in the numberregistered in the record sheet counter 52 and the number stored in thecopy memory 16, an output signal indicative of this comparison isgenerated and supplied to one input to a conventional reversible counter60. This signal registers a count in this reversible counter 60 in onedirection.

Similarly, when the coincidence detector 58 detects a coincidencebetween the number registered in the copy counter 54 and the numberstored in the copy memory 16, an output signal is generated indicativeof this coincidence and this signal is supplied to another input of thereversible counter 60 to register a count in a direction opposite theaforementioned direction. The output of this reversible counter ismonitored by the AND gate 48 which, upon enabling by a signal from thejam detecting circuit 36 hereinabove described, will pass the countregistered in the reversible counter via a binary-todecimal (BID)encoder 68 to a suitable display device 20. This display count willdirect the operator to back the original documents up a certain numberin order to permit the sets of copies in the sorter to be completedafter the jam is alleviated. This will be explained more fullyhereinafter.

Also, the coincidence signals generated by coincidence detectors 56 and58 are further utilized to reset the record sheet counter 52 and thecopy counter 54, respectively.

The coincidence signal generated by the coincidence detector 56 whichmonitors the record sheet counter 52 may be also used as a controlsignal to an appropriate control circuit which is designated in FIG. 3as an original advance circuit 62. This circuit will actuate thenecessary motors and gears to advance the next original document to becopied into an exposure zone at the exposure and development module 8 ofthe reproducing apparatus 2 of FIG. I.

The signal from the jam detecting circuit 36 also enables one input ofthe AND gate 50. The other input of this AND gate is supplied from a jamrestart control circuit 64 which may be included to reenergize the motorportion of the reproducing apparatus of FIG. 1 after a shut downsubsequent to a jam detection.

Although the circuitry is not shown for this automatic shutdown, it willbe apparent to one skilled in the art that upon a detection of a jamcondition, appropriate signals can be supplied to the motor controlcircuits 24 of FIG. 2 to halt all operations as far as theelectromechanical aspects of the machine are concerned.

The output from this AND gate 50, which is enabled when a jam situationhas occurred and the jam restart control circuit is activated, providesa transfer or equalizing signal to an appropriate transfer circuit 66which, in effect, equalizes the count then presently registered at thetime of the jam in the record sheet counter to that count registered inthe copy counter 54.

The circuit and its operation as just described hereinabove inconnection with FIG. 3 effectively provides via the display device 20appropriate indications to a machine operator of a jam occurrence andexactly what must be done to continue reproduction without an erroroccurring in the copy distribution in the sorter apparatus 4. This willbe seen more fully from the followingdiscussion.

The record sheet counter 52 is counting, in effect, the number of copieswhich are possible only if a jam does not occur. The copy countermeanwhile is counting the number of copies which have been retrievedfrom the exposure and development module as completed. When the numberof record sheets entering the transport path corresponds to the numberof copies of the particular original document desired, as indicated bythe copy memory, a count is entered in the reversible counter 60 in onedirection, for example, up. If all goes well and no jam or record sheetfeed malfunction occurs before these sheets become copies, the copycounter 54 will register a count identical to the count stored in thecopy memory 16. This will generate a pulse from the coincidence detector58 which will enter a count in the reversible counter 60 in the downdirection. Since the reversible counter 60 before the detection of thesecopies had a one count stored therein, as the desired number of copiesegress from the transport path, the count in the reversible counter isreduced or counted down once to zero. This operation of entering a onecount in counter 60 in the up direction and then reducing or countingthis counter down by one count occurs in the simple case when the numberdesired copies per original document is greater than the number ofrecord sheets which the transport path 30 can accommodate.

However, taking the situation when a jam occurs, let it be assumed thatit is possible for seven record sheets to be in transit along thetransport path 30. It is also assumed that the operator has entered thenumber three in the copy memory 16 via the keyboard 12 and D/B encoder14 indicating that three copies per original document are desired. Aseach record sheet enters the transport path 30, the sensing finger 32increases the count in record sheet counter 52 by one from zero. Whenthis count has reached three, the coincidence detector 56 will generatean output pulse thereby (l) entering a one count in the up direction inreversible counter 60, (2) advancing the original document previouslyexposed and copied from the exposure platen and bringing a new originaldocument into the exposure position, and (3) resetting the count inrecord sheet counter 52 to zero.

As the next three record sheets enter the transport path 30 from therecord sheet supply bin 28, a three count is again registered in counter52 in a similar manner as discussed in the preceeding paragraph. Uponthe detection of coincidence between the contents of the counter 52 andcopy memory 16, the aforementioned three operations are repeated.

After the two above-described cycles have been completed, the followingconditions exists: (1) counter 60 has a count of two stored in it, (2)six record sheets are in the transport path 30, and (3) the thirdoriginal document is in proper position at the exposure platen forcopying purposes.

The seventh sheet, the first record sheet corresponding to the thirdoriginal document, now enters the transport path and is counted byrecord sheet counter 52. Since the transport path can only accommodate,in this example, seven record sheets, sometime after the seventh sheetenters the transport path and before the eighth sheet enters thistransport path, the first sheet to enter the transport path will egresstherefrom in the form of the first copy of the first original document.

The first copy of the first original document enters a one count incounter 54. Substantially simultaneously with the egress of this firstcopy, the eighth record sheet enters the transport path. Shortlythereafter a second copy of the first original document enters thesorter apparatus 4 and increases the count in counter 54 to two. Theninth record sheet then enters the transport path increasing the countin counter 52 to three which in turn provides a coincidence with thenumber in copy memory 16 thereby adding a count to the reversiblecounter 60. This coincidence also allows the fourth original document toadvance to the exposure position.

Since nine record sheets have entered the transport path 30, coincidencebetween the contents of the record sheet counter 52 and the copy memory16 has occurred 3 times thereby providing a three count in thereversible counter 60.

As the third-copy of the first original document exists from thetransport path and is detected by the mechanical finger 40, counter 54has its count increased to three. This three count coincides with thecontents of the copy memory 16 and coincidence detector provides anoutput pulse which reduces the three count previously registered in thereversible counter 60 to two. This output pulse from the coincidencedetector 58 also resets the copy counter 54 to zero.

At this time, the tenth record sheet enters the transport path andregisters a one count in the record sheet counter 52. Before theeleventh record sheet enters the transport path, the first copy of thesecond original exists from the transport path thereby entering a onecount in counter 54. Counter 52 has detected the entry into thetransport path of the eleventh record sheet.

At this point in the operation of the system of FIG. 3, the followingconditions exists. All three copies of the first original havesuccessfully entered the sorter apparatus 4. The first copy of thesecond original has also successfully entered the sorter apparatus. Inthe transport path at various stages of the exposure and developmentoperation, there are two, three, and two record sheets correspondingrespectively to future copies of the second, third, and fourth originaldocuments. The reversible counter 60 has registered the two count aswell as the record sheet counter 52.

Now it may be assumed that a jam or malfunctioning of the transport pathor other feeding operation has occurred. A jam having been sensed, thecount registered in the reversible counter, viz., two, will betranslated via the RID encoder 68 to the display device 20. The machinemay have been shut down automatically and the operator alerted by anappropriate warning light on the control module 6. The operator,observing that there has been a jam and the number two displayed in anappropriate position on the display device, realizes that the originaldocuments must be backed up by two originals. At the time of the jam,the fourth original document was being copied; therefore, it isbackspaced twice so that the second original document is again inposition for exposure and reproduction.

This backing up of the original documents may, for example, be performedby a suitable original backup control circuit 70 which actuates theoriginal advance control circuit 62 in a reverse mode or may be donemanually. In addition, a control signal from this backup control circuit70 may be utilized to reset the reversible counter 60 to zero.

At this point, the operator may also remove all seven record sheets inthe transport path and clear the jam wherever it may be. Withoutcounting the number of damaged or partially processed record sheetswhich were removed from the transport path, the operator may now simplyactuate a jam restart switch, for example, which actuates the jamrestart circuit 64. When this is done, the machine is reactivated andthe contents or the number stored in the copy counter 54, one in theexample, is transferred via the now energized transfer circuit 66 to therecord sheet counter 52. After this transfer, the record sheet counternow has stored in it the number which the copy counter 54 had registeredbefore the jam occurred, viz., one. The machine then begins its cycleonce again and the twelfth and thirteenth record sheets successivelyenter the transport path 30. The record sheet counter indicates a threecount which provides a coincidence pulse to the reversible counter 60which steps up this counter one to a three count. The second originaldocument advances presenting the third original document. The copycounter, which has now counted the first copy of the second originaldocument as received prior to the jam, will now detect the remaining twocopies of the second original document and provide a coincidence signalwhich steps the reversible counter down one count to one. As this isbeing done, more sheets may successively enter the transport pathstepping the reversible counter up. If these are received as copies inthe sorter apparatus, a coincidence signal from the coincidence detector58 will step the reversible counter down. This cycle will then repeatitself for as many original documents and copies as desired. If a jamoccurs, the aforementioned procedure would be repeated involving merelythe simple task on the part of the operator of l) removing the jammedrecord sheets in the transport path and any other sheets in thetransport path, (2) backing up the original documents as indicatednumber of spaces, and (3) energizing the jam restart circuit 64.

Assuming that no jam condition interrupt operation of the circuit ofFIG. 3, the counter 60 would react as follows: every third record sheetdetected by sensor 32 would add one to the counter 60, while every thirdcopy detected by sensor 40 would subtract one from the count of thecounter 60. Therefore, the count in the counter 60 would proceed as 0,l, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2,,.... 3, 2, l, 0. This, of course, assumesthat three copies per original document are desired.

In summary, the circuit of FIG. 3 enables the operator upon theoccurrence of a jam in the record sheet feed mechanism, or any othermechanism moving the record sheets along the transport path, to easilyand without complication remove the jammed record sheets as well as anyother record sheets which are in the transport path without having tocount or examine any of the record sheets or copies to determine whichoriginal documents have been copied and how many additional copies needto be made. Also, the operator may then recycle the operation of themachine while maintaining a perfect copy distribution in the sorterapparatus as well as a correct copy number.

While the invention has been described with reference to the circuitdisclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth since itis apparent that electrical equivalent components may be substituted forthe components of the preferred circuit without departing from the scopeof the invention. Thus, for example, while a particular type of jamsensing has been described as being included in the jam detector circuit36 of FIG. 3, other conventional jam detecting apparatus and circuitrymay be utilized to perform the same function as the jam detecting systemdescribed herein.

In addition, while the original documents are described as beingautomatically advanced and reversed, it should be realized that thecircuit of FIG. 3 would be useful in a reproducing apparatus whichemployed a manual positioning of the original documents to be copied.

Although the system of FIG. 3 has been described in the environment of axerographic reproduction apparatus, it is apparent that its applicationis not limited thereto and is easily adaptable to various types ofreproduction apparatus.

It is therefore the intention of the Applicants to cover suchmodifications or changes as may fall within the scope of the inventionas defined by the following claims:

We claim:

1. In a reproduction machine for making any desired number of facsimilesof a series of original documents which are sequentially positioned atan exposure zone on a like number of record sheets, said machine havinga record sheet input and a facsimile-bearing record sheet output with atransport path therebetween, a system comprising:

a. storage means for selectively storing the number of desiredfacsimile-bearing record sheets to be reproduced from each originaldocument;

b. first counter means having a first initial condition for counting thenumber of record sheets entering said transport path;

c. second counter means having a second initial condition for countingthe number of facsimile-bearing record sheets egressing from saidtransport path;

d. first coincidence detector means for generating a first coincidencesignal indicative of coincidence between the number in said firstcounter means and the number in said storage means;

. second coincidence detector means for generating a second coincidencesignal indicative of coincidence between the number in said secondcounter means and the number in said storage means;

f. third counter means having a third initial condition responsive tosaid first coincidence signal for registering a count in one directionand responsive to said second coincidence signal for registering a countin a direction opposite to said one direction;

g. jam detector means responsive to an abnormality in record sheetcondition along said transport path for generating a jam detectionsignal; and

h. indicator means coupled to said third counter means and responsive tosaid jam detection signal for indicating the count registered in saidthird counter means.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 further including:

a. first reset means responsive to said first coincidence signal forresetting said first counter means to said first initial condition; y

b. second reset means responsive to said second coincidence signal forresetting said second counter means to said second initial condition;

c. third reset means for resetting said third counter means to saidthird initial condition;

(.1. transfer means responsive to said jam detection signal forselectively equalizing the number in said first counter means with thenumber in said second counter means; and

e. wherein said indicator means includes a visual display means fordisplaying said count registered in said third counter means.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 further including advance meansresponsive to said first coincidence signal for generating a controlsignal to control the positioning of said original documents.

4. In an apparatus for making any desired number of copies of anoriginal document on a like number of record sheets, said apparatushaving a record sheet supply bin and copy collection area with a recordsheet transport path therebetween,

a system comprising:

a. storage means for selectively storing the number of desired copies tobe reproduced from an original document;

b. first counter means having a first initial state for registering acount for each record sheet entering said transport path;

c. second counter means having a second initial state for registering acount for each record sheet egressing from said transport path;

d. first coincidence means for generating a first coincidence signalindicative of coincidence between the count in said first counter meansand the number in said storage means;

e. second coincidence means for generating a second coincidence signalindicative of coincidence between the count in said second counter meansand the number in said storage means;

f. third counter means having a third initial state for registering anet count which is increased by a predetermined amount is response tosaid first coincidence signal and decreased by an amount equal to saidpredetermined amount in response to said second coincidence signal;

g. jam detector means responsive to an abnormality in record sheetcondition along said transport path for generating a jam detectionsignal; and

h. transfer means responsive to said jam detection signal for equalizingthe count in said first counter means to the count in said secondcounter means.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 further including:

a. first reset means responsive to said first coincidence signal forresetting said first counter means to said first initial state;

b. second reset means responsive to said second coincidence signal forresetting said second counter means to said second initial state;

0. third reset means for resetting said third counter means to saidthird initial state; and,

d. indicator means responsive to said jam detection signal forindicating said net count registered in said third counter means.

6. In a machine for making any desired number of copies of an originaldocument of a like number of record sheets, said machine having a sourceof record sheets and a copy collection area with a record sheettransport path therebetween, a system comprising:

a. storage means for selectively storing the number of copies desired tobe reproduced from an original document;

b. first detector means for detecting each record sheet as it enterssaid transport path;

c. second detector means for detecting each record sheet as it egressesfrom said transport path; and

d. counter/coincidence means coupled to said storage means and saidfirst and second detector means for registering a count representativeof the difference between the multiples of said number stored in saidstorage means of record sheets entering said transport path and themultiples of said number stored in said storage means of record sheetsegressing from said transport path.

7. A system as defined in claim 6 further including:

a. jam detector means in cooperable relation with said transport pathand responsive to an abnormality in record sheet condition along saidtransport path for generating a jam detection signal; and

b. indicator means responsive to said jam detection signal forindicating said count registered in said counter/coincidence means.

8. A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said counter/coincidence meansincludes:

a. first counter means having a first initial state coupled to saidfirst detector means for generating a first count corresponding to eachdetection by said first detector means;

b. second counter means having a second initial state coupled to saidsecond detector means for generating a second count corresponding toeach detection by said second detector means;

. coincidence means for generating first and second coincidence signalsin response to coincidence between said first count and said number insaid storage means and between said second count and said number in saidstorage means, respectively; and

d. reversible counter means having a third initial state responsive tosaid first coincidence signal for registering a count in a firstdirection and to said second coincidence signal for registering a countin a second direction opposite said first direction.

9. A system as defined in claim 8 further including; a. first resetmeans responsive to said first coincidence signal for resetting saidfirst counter means to said first initial state;

b. second reset means responsive to said second coincidence signal forresetting said second counter means to said second initial state; and

c. third reset means for resetting said reversible counter means to saidthird initial state.

10. A system as defined in claim 8 further including:

a. jam detector means responsive to an abnormality in record sheetcondition along said transport path for generating a jam detectionsignal; and

. b. transfer means responsive to said jam detection signal forselectively equalizing the count in said first counter means with thecount in said second counter means.

11. A system as defined in claim 10 further including:

a. indicator means responsive to said jam detection signal forindicating said count registered in said reversible counter means.

